Your Journal No 7. to Janry 30th, Harriet brought me to day, just as we had sat down to dinner; It being thursday, John and Charles thought they would treat themselves, and miss Harriet with a Sleigh ride to Quincy—our Friends and acquaintance do not fail to improve the Season, and sometimes come upon us a little unwarily, for one day last week, I had nine at once to dine, when I knew only of...
Your Letter of May 2d was so long comeing, that I feared Sickness had arrested your pen—as Subjects for the use of it are always within your power, because subjects of a domestic Nature are every day occurences, and always interesting to Friends. and judging by myself, I communicate to you the pleasure I enjoy in finding that your admonitions to George have had a salutary effect, both as it...
3From Abigail Smith Adams to Sarah Smith Adams, 12 April 1817 (Adams Papers)
Susan has written you, I Suppose that mr Clark has returnd, and that he is very desirious of being married. She has also informd you of his income and means of Support. Will you under these Circumstances consent to their being married at present? They are Young, neither of them disposed to Habits of dissipation, but Such limited means I fear will involve them in difficulties. To keep House...
The fine Sleighing has tempted So many visitors to make use of it, that we have had a Constant Succession of company, altho the weather has been Severely cold—This day thus far, I have not been interrupted, and I take my pen, to acknowledge your favour of Febry 4th received upon the 12th. on that day Mrs Quincy with miss Storer & miss Quincy, came to take Tea with us. John and Charles, having...
Agreable to your Request we have concluded to Send you the picture. Mr Adams has been So occupied by public Buisness that he has not given any directions respecting it.—but as we know it will receive the greatest care from you; we have concluded to commit it to you; relying upon the promise given, that you will deliver it to our Son John Quincy Adams, when ever he calls for it— With...
I will not let so good an opportunity pass without writing you a few Lines, to inquire after your Health, and to rejoice with you upon the return of your Sister, and Family to America, in good health, and with a more youthfull countanance than when She left us—but like Birds of passage, they left us, in one month for Washington— your three Nephews are with us George who has grown to the...
7From Abigail Smith Adams to John Adams Smith, 12 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
I have not noticed your Letter bearing date 10 Novb’r—I had begun to think that you had renounced me as a correspondent—not having had a line from you for a long time—Like other Ladies who when Slighted turn their Backs or otherways express their Sense of it I did not feel myself obligated to write again—and gratified myself by reading Your Letters to Your Grandfather, and discharging my duty...
I received your journal No 4. containing the drawing Room History, which amused us much. What would have been Said in my day, if So much Style, pomp and Etiquette had been assumed? the Cry of Monarchy, Monarchy, would have resounded from Georgia to Maine.—but according to the old proverb—some persons may Rob; better than others look over the hedge.—I am not condemning this new order of...
9From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 10 August 1817 (Adams Papers)
Thank you thank you dear Harriet for the Letter from mr Adams you sent me last Evening. tho only a few lines, it informd me that after a passage of 50 days from Cowes they had arrived all well—and should remain no longer in N york than to get out their baggage & necessary arrangements, that in a week or ten days they would be here—I presume by the close of the week or sooner—It will indeed be...
10From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 12 June 1818 (Adams Papers)
But once Since You left us, have I received a line from you. Twice I have written, and twenty hundred times twenty; thought of you, and Sometimes with an exclamation, what can be the reason that H. does not write? now you who have Eyes, fingers at command, and the pen of a ready writer, ought to employ them, when they are So much Sought after. I presume they are so: and that you have Some...
11From Abigail Smith Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 29 April 1817 (Adams Papers)
What right have I to be one of your tormentors? and amongst the numerous applicants for introductory Letters? Why I will plead, old acquaintance, old Friendship and your well known Benevolence—but to the Subject of my present address. Mr Theodore Lyman, who possesses an ardent thirst for Literature, and whose Father, is one of our most respectable Characters for probity, honour, & wealth, this...
12From Abigail Smith Adams to Julia Stockton Rush, 15 October 1817 (Adams Papers)
I am indebted to you, for two very kind Letters The first, was written after my Grandaughter miss de Wint, had made you a visit. I ought to have inform’d you, how much She regreted, that it was not in her power to repeat it, and writing to me upon her return, that She was gratified in having visited a Lady, whom She knew; was much esteemd by her Grand Parents: as well as by her own Father, and...
13From Abigail Smith Adams to John Adams, 23 October 1817 (Adams Papers)
mr Dexter will come to Boston tomorrow for the Trunks you must go with him to mr Crufts who when you pick out the Trunks will deliver them—I See that nobody here will attend to them if I do not—they are lodged at mr Thorndikes Store Custer lies very dangerously sick your GM MHi : Adams Papers.
14From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 2 May 1817 (Adams Papers)
mr Clark will deliver you this Susan has a Letter from her Mother urgeing her to come to See her, and consenting to her.… which I cannot under present circumstances—so they say no more to me—I think with you that it will be best for them to go Silently and if a female travelling companion can be found at the Same time it will be more agreable—fine weather for your Father & Sister Mr C will...
15From Abigail Smith Adams to Hezekiah Niles, 20 January 1818 (Adams Papers)
Upon taking up your Register the other day, a communication respecting drawing rooms, attracted my attention. Your correspondent must have been misinformed when he states, that there was any distinction of party made at the drawing room while I had the honor to preside there; any gentleman or lady, of either party, who chose to visit there, were received with equal civility. And from your...
16From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 24 January 1818 (Adams Papers)
The President has a letter from Vanderkemp, in which he proposes to have him send a collection of my letters to publish! A pretty figure I should make. No. No. I have not any ambition to appear in print. Heedless and inaccurate as I am, I have too much vanity to risk my reputation before the public. Printed Source--Letters of Mrs. Adams. Edited by Charles Francis Adams (Boston: 1840)..
17From Abigail Smith Adams to Sarah Smith Adams, 18 August 1817 (Adams Papers)
This Evening my dear Daughter, will give you a Son, and me a Grandson, whom I have no doubt will prove himself worthy that Relation—He has plead So hard, and appeard so anxious and distrest, that it Should be so, before he again went abroad that I could no longer withhold my assent, and hav Susans Grandfather also joind with me, altho my former objections Still remained the Same. Tomorrow they...
“Delightful praise, like summer rose, That brighter in the dew-drop glows.” They were sweet drops which flowed from the heart to the eyes both of your grandfather and grandmother, when I read to him the two letters you had transcribed to your uncle and to your father, in commendation of your brother. You could not have offered a sweeter incense to your grandfather; and flowing from the pen of...
19From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 5 May 1817 (Adams Papers)
I inclose to you a paper with the distrest State of an old Batchelor, not Supposing that you will answer the advertizement, but because amongst my acquaintance I know no one who So nearly answers his description—He has left his own qualifications out of the question—a dolt does he think to get Such a wife without Sterling worth on his own part? dr Franklin says “ a Batchelor is not a compleat...
20Abigail Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 29 April 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
what right have I to be one of your tormentors? and amongst the numerous applicants for introductory Letters? why I will plead, old acquaintance, old Friendship and your well known Benevolence— but to the Subject of my present address. Mr Theodore Lyman , who possesses an ardent thirst for Literature, and whose Father , is one of our most respectable Characters for probity, honour, &...
21From Abigail Smith Adams to John Adams, 15 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
So, so master John, your Back is up, because you have not been written to, as often as you thought your dignity required—why I really think there is Some reason for you to complain of your Hingham School Mates—but I beleive they are Scatterd now, not one of them remaining with mr Thimbull who were your companions—new ones Succeed Politeness requires that notice Should be taken of letters of...
22From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, March 1818 (Adams Papers)
I beleive you thought me very imprudent to consent to the Presidents going to Town So cold a day as yesterday—but the cold increased much after the morning and I was quite anxious untill he returnd—much pleased and gratified with his days excursion there is Such a thing as Staying at Home untill it becomes wearisome to us change of place, or dear variety compose part of our happiness I enclose...
A long period has elapsed since I addrest a line to you—I have not taken my pen for three weeks—I have been so constantly occupied with my visitors, and a sick domestic, who has been near dieing with a Billious fever the whole time my Friends were with me, that I could not find a leisure moment. mr & mrs DeWint his Mother their children and servants left us last week, about the time when...
24From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 17 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
I write you a few lines in addition to what I have already written, and inclose you the Copy of a Letter from mr Otis to your Father, by which you will learn that your Nomination as Secretary of State, was confirmd, with one only dissenting vote, just sufficient to save you from the war. whose it was I neither know or care for no president since Washington, has been chosen by the people, with...
25From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 January 1818 (Adams Papers)
I write but seldom to you, least you should feel as tho’ you were obliged to replie, when you must be much occupied with public Business and as I am now engaged to address you in that line, You will feel obliged to listen. My present design is to name to you a Gentleman for office conditionally. It is reported that Major Warren of plymouth is about to resign, or be removed from the office of...
26From Abigail Smith Adams to Harriet Welsh, 30 January 1818 (Adams Papers)
I received the articles this morning cloth Nankeen Ribbon Letter covers &c altho the Gospel declares man & wife to be one, the Law of congress will not allow me that priviledge and my name upon a package or Letter Subjects me to postage—in future by post, let my good mans priviledge cover mine—I Send you my last Letter—what would have been Said in my day if Such Etiquette had been establishd?...
27From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 23 June 1818 (Adams Papers)
enclosed is a Letter which you will see contains a request to me; and through me to you. the ploughing with the Hiffer is not yet out of date. were the object an office, I should refuse to medle with it, but as it is only a simple renewal of a midshipman from one ship & station to an other, I would hope no great interest necessary; particularly as his Health has sufferd severely in this...
My correspondence has been much interrupted the last fortnight Susan has been So feeble and weak, that She has required much care and attention She is now but just able to leave her Chamber, and that only for a short time, and we have had ten days of dismal wet weather, in which the Sun has not once Shone,—it has produced much Sickness, of the Quincy and Croup kind, with Children—My Son T B As...
29From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 May 1817 (Adams Papers)
I will write to you again, and untill I learn from you, that you have taken your passage home.—I have now to acknowledge a succession of Letters from you, arriveing nearly all together No 106. No 107 No 108 No 109 No 10010 and No 111 March the 16th which is the late date— I hope you did not think, when I wrote to you pressing your return to America, that my object was the office to which you...
As Dean Swift says, “eyes with writing almost blind,” I commence a letter to you, near ten o’clock at night, after having written seven letters to go abroad by the Milo. I have been wishing to write to you all the week, but last Friday, in a snow storm, who should come to make me a visit, but Mrs. Cushing, who is always a welcome guest; she stayed until Tuesday; I could not leave her to write....